Country Fire Service (S.A.) Communications Network Overview

Country Fire Service

Communications Network Information/Overview

The Country Fire Service radio network consists of SAGRN, VHF and HF radios. The SAGRN is used for command and control communications, and VHF network is used for fireground traffic. CFS is investigating options to transfer all fireground communications to a different network, this could be UHF simplex frequencies.

The CFS headquarters-Waymouth St., Adelaide it’s staffed 24 hours a day by State Operations Centre (SOC) staff who monitor state wide GRN talk groups and VHF channels continuously. They also handle call receipt and dispatch roles for many brigades throughout the state as well as for many SES units, the MFS communications centre assists with handling some CFS call receipt and dispatch functions.

CFS brigades also receive calls directly to their own fire alarm number-the ERS, this is answered by volunteers and/or SOC operators, local operators can take the details of incidents from callers and then the SOC will send a response page using the SAGRN paging network to the relevant brigades. This system enables a local operator to receive the call and interpret the caller's information. This is especially useful out of the major towns where there are no street names or where the caller may be unfamiliar with the area.

Rollout of the SAGRN paging is continuing throughout the state with many brigades now using SAGRN paging, as pager availability increases more brigades will transition to the new paging system. Where GRN paging is unavailable brigades rely on tone only (beeper) pagers, station sirens, or a combination of both. The SAGRN paging service uses the Flex 1600 protocol and has transmission sites at the same location as most of the GRN voice transmitters. Brigades members can receive alphanumeric messages advising them of turnouts or general information, weather and fire ban information can also be sent to all pagers.

All CFS brigades have SAGRN radios and VHF fitted to appliances and fire stations, the SAGRN is generally used for command and control communications and the VHF network is utilised for the local fireground traffic, the VHF system also serves as a backup to the GRN should a failure occur. Fire spotting towers, Regional Headquarters, Training Centres and Fire bombing aircraft also use the SAGRN.

The CFS uses Motorola MCS 2000 mobile and MTS 2000 portable radios on the SAGRN. All appliances carry one mobile radio and at least one portable, whilst group command vehicles have two mobiles and two portables issued. Group officers and Brigade captains are also allocated one GRN portable or mobile radio each. All fire stations are fitted with one mobile radio, however Group control centres have three. These are the same radio as used by the CFA and VICPOL.

Some radios also have the ability to initiate telephone calls (radiotelephone), private calls and page other radios. All radios operating on the network also have access to the emergency button which when activated which will alert all other users and the State Operations Centre that assistance is required immediately. The State Operations Centre is fitted with 2 Motorola Centracom consoles, these have the ability to patch CFS and other agency talkgroups together, as well transmit on multiple talkgroups simultaneously.

In remote areas CFS use satellite telephones and more than 20 HF bases and 40 HF mobiles. Rural areas also use UHF CB to liase with farmers and the community.

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This Page Last Updated: January 16^th, 2004

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